


Leap of Faith

by ExistentialCloud



Category: Video Blogging RPF, jacksepticeye
Genre: A demisexua tries to write romance, Hero AU, Marvin is very gay, Other, Slow Burn, Superhero typical violence, Things are just starting yall, Trans Character, and you can tell, i have no idea what i am doing, mild violence, more tags will be added as story progresses, shoudlve added that before now, trans Jackieboy, whoops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-09-22 13:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17060627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExistentialCloud/pseuds/ExistentialCloud
Summary: Jackaboy Man is New Septic City’s newest hero. After Bro Average took a major hit, Jackaboy has taken his slot. With no powers and only his gadgets to rely on, can he protect his city?Title is a reference to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”





	1. Typical Night Out

Jackie stood on the edge of the building, looking down at the city below. The last light of Day was fading behind the tall skyscrapers, giving away to the neon lights of the city. Sunset was his favorite time, a quiet period between his daily life and the craziness of his night job. 

Just as the first stars began appearing in the dark sky, an alert turned his attention to the robot floating above his shoulder. The metal eyeball chirped again before speaking. “One robbery currently in progress at north avenue bank. Three criminals at the scene, armed with blunt objects. “

“Okay S4M, set route.” Jackie replied, pulling down his mask. 

S4M paused a moment before chirping again, dropping and using its tail to cling to Jackie. A simple tug indicated the robot was ready. Taking a deep breath, Jackaboy Man stepped away from the edge, one hand on the emblem on his belt. 

Without hesitation, he ran off the edge, free falling towards the ground. Halfway down, he pressed a button on his belt and a cable shot out and attached to the top of a taller building. Pressing the same button again he shot up, running along the building once he was close enough. Once at the top, he detached his cable and ran across the roof. He repeated the same steps as before, swinging between buildings. 

S4M gave directions as he swung, as well as police reports from the area. It wasn’t a silent night, but when was it in Septic City. Jackaboy stoped when he reached a roof across the street from the bank. He crouched and studied the scene. 

The windows and doors were intact, indicating the robbers were already inside when they started the job. S4M didn’t mention any hostages before, but the state of the scene made him suspicious. Carefully he used his cable to drop down into the alleyway next to the building. 

He sprinted across the street and threw open the door to the bank, S4M floating above him once again. Two of the three robbers were standing at the teller’s counter, one holding a bat while the other held a crowbar. The third was no where to be seen. 

The two looked at him and sneered. The one with the crowbar turned away from the teller and approached him slowly. “Looks like the wannabe showed up. Why don’t we take care of him.” 

Jackaboy stayed silent, already in a defensive position. His opponent charged at him, ready to swing. Jackaboy ducked out of the way, tripping him at the same time. He quickly attacked the guy with a flurry of punches, taking a few hits of his own. 

Crowbar was down after a solid hit to his head, crumpling to the floor. His partner looked up and growled, turning away from the teller as well to engage the hero.

This one managed to land a few solid hits on Jackaboy before the hero could retaliate. Ignoring the pain blossoming in his chest, he kicked and punched until the opponent dropped to the floor as well. 

Pausing for a breath, he placed a hand on his chest and winced. Definitely a broken rib or two. That will be fun to explain at work tomorrow. 

Jackaboy was taken out of his inner monologue by a chirp from S4M. The eyeball was looking at something behind him. The hero turned just in time to see the third robber bring a metal pole down onto the hero’s head. 

Jackaboy fell back, the world spinning around him. He struggled to get up, the robber already ready to swing again. Just as the metal was about to make contact with the hero’s face, the criminal was enveloped in a teal light and froze in place. 

He was suddenly lifted and thrown against the wall, knocking him out. Jackaboy managed to sit up in time to see glowing ropes wrap around the robbers. He rolled his eyes as the masked magician came into view. 

Marvin was grinning, cape billowing behind him in a non-existent wind. His eyes were glowing a bright teal from behind his mask. He stopped just in front of Jackaboy and extended a gloved hand. “Need some help?” 

“Nice of you to show up. Did you just tie those guys up so you could have first dibs?” Jackaboy answered, venom dripping from his words.

“I would do no such thing- “ The Hero gave Marvin a look “- while you are around.” 

Jackaboy sighed and grabbed his hand, allowing the magician to help him up. He winced as both his ribs and head throbbed with pain. 

“Really? First robbery of the night and you are already out of commission. “ Marvin tsked. “Let me take over for you tonight. “

Jackaboy shook his head and immediately regretted it. He almost collapsed, clinging to Marvin for support. “Yeah okay. You’re going home. Ill stay good long enough for you to heal.” 

Jackaboy sighed. “S4M, give directions to home. And I swear Marvin if you end up robbing my place I will hurt you.” 

“You are in no place to make threats my dear. Try to be intimidating when you can actually stand straight.” Marvin replied, smirking. 

Jackaboy just grumbled and leaned into Marvin, suddenly finding it hard to stay up and awake. Marvin just wrapped an arm around the hero, listening as S4M gave him instructions. Once the robot was finished, it latched onto the hero’s shoulder again. With a quick flourish of his cape, Marvin envolped both of them in teal light. 

Closing his eyes against the light, Jackaboy found himself disoriented as he felt the ground leave his feet before reappearing a moment later. Opening his eyes, he found himself in the hallway out side his apartment. Taking a deep breath he let go of Marvin and unlocked the door. He didn’t say goodbye to the magician before shutting the door behind him. 

Jackie took off his mask, and with the help of S4M he took off his harness, belt, boots, and gloves. He moved slowly to the bathroom, using the wall as support. When he got inside, he turned the lights on and winced. He continued gasped as he took off his hoodie, having to lean against the wall to steady himself. As the constricting clothing was removed, his body relaxed.

He sighed when he saw just how many bruises there were, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to bind for the next few days. Inhailing sharply, he took a bandage from the cabinet and carefully wrapped it around his chest, making sure to not put too much pressure on any spot. He glared at the bandages, feeling anger that he even needed any. 

Once that was done he slowly moved to his bedroom, S4M following close behind. Jackie practically collapsed on his bed, exhaustion spreading through his body. He stayed awake long enough to tell S4M, “ it’s time for bed.” 

The robot chirped and floated to its charging station on his desk, turning off as soon as it was connected. Jackie smiled before shutting his eyes and letting the darkness of sleep overtake him.


	2. Typical Day After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was writing this chapter I realized I had no idea what I was doing. So if it’s bad I’m not sorry

Jackie sat on the couch, bundled up in at least 3 different blankets. A quick trip to the doctors earlier basically declared him bedridden for a few days. Which he didn’t fully mind but, he couldn’t help but worry about the night time. Crime always happens at night and he does not fully trust Marvin. 

A notification on his phone startled him, making him wince as the room spun. He slowly grabbed his phone and smiled slightly once he saw the screen. He tapped the notification and watched as the video began to play. 

Standing in the entryway to a house was a middle aged man wearing a baseball cap. He smiled at the camera. “Hey dudes! Welcome back to Hero Chasing! I’m your bro Chase and today we’ll hopefully get some good footage of New Septic City’s newest hero.” 

The video cut to a night scene just outside a busy street. A street Jackie recognized as the one the bank was located. Chase’s voice was heard as the camera began panning down the street. “A few sources say they saw Jackaboy Man swing towards here. There’s suspicious activity in the bank nearby, so that’s probably why he’s coming. “

Another cut and then the camera across the street from the bank, zoomed into the bank itself. Jackie watched as he saw his past self fight off the robbers, wincing when he was hit particularly hard, his wounds hurting at the memory. Chase gasped as the third one managed to knock Jackie down. “That’s not good dudes.” 

There was a pause before teal light began to fill the frame, almost too bright to make anything else out. After a few seconds the camera adjusted and standing clearly in the frame was Jackie being held up by Marvin. Another moment before the frame filled up with light again. Another cut showed the camera was facing Chase, who was smiling. “That was so cool! We not only got footage of Jackaboy Man, but as Marvin the Magnificent as well! I hope Jackaboy can heal soon, it looked like he took quite a beating. Anyways dudes, unless I see something else going on tonight I’ll be ending it here. See you all later my dudes.” 

The video ended and Jackie turned his phone off with a smile. Chase’s videos always seemed to make him smile. They always painted him in a positive light rather than the nuisance the media tied to make him out to be. 

Jackie continued to sit in content silence until his stomach began to rumble. Sighing, he slowly stood up and headed to his small kitchen. S4M floated next to him, whirring softly. When he got there, he braced himself on the counter as the room spun around him again. He stood still, trying to decided if cooking was really worth it. His hunger won in the end, making him decide to just order a pizza instead. 

As he waited for his food, he kept himself busy by going through his mail. A few bills, a lot of junk mail, letters from family addressed in the wrong name. He threw away most of the mail, keeping the bills of course. He was about to put those away when a single teal envelope caught his eye. It was sitting in the middle of the table, which made Jackie immediately suspicious as there was no letter there before.

Slowly, he picked it up and scanned the envelope itself. There was nothing on it except two Ms written in golden ink. He opened the envelope and a piece of paper fell out along with a single playing card, a jack of diamonds. Jackie picked up the paper and studied it before reading what was written in golden ink.

“Hey Jackaboy,

Just wanted to let you know Im taking care of the city while you are on bed rest. And don’t worry, I have had no real reason to betray you yet! That means the city will be safe from me for a while. 

Also, the card is just in case you need my help in the future. Just rip it and it’ll let me know you’re in danger.

-Love, Marvin the Magnificent”


	3. Nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda figured out a loose upload schedule. It’ll be twice a week and should be Tuesday and Thursday, though don’t expect anything. Life tends to throw any schedule I have off track.

Darkness as far as he could see. So dark that he couldn’t even see his hand wave in front of his face. He couldn’t even tell if he was standing on the ground or if he was just floating.

A giggle rang out, a sharp, distorted noise. He whipped his head around trying to find the source of the noise. The darkness did not dissipate, in fact it seemed to grow even darker. 

He stood frozen as he felt a cold hand on the back of his neck. The hand traveled up to his face, lingering on his cheek before it was removed. 

“You’re a young one.” The distorted voice came from behind him, sending chills down his spine. “That’ll make this so much more fun.” 

He gasped as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He winced as the pain increased, almost as if a knife was being twisted in his chest. Another giggle, right in his ear.

Jackie awoke suddenly, sitting up fast enough to spend the room spinning. He was gasping for breath as he clutched at his chest, his heart racing. His eyes scanned the room, searching for something, anything, that might be out of place. 

After a minute of searching for something that wasn’t there, he slowly calmed down. He took deep breaths in the pattern he remembered being taught years before. Breath in for 4, hold in for 7, and breath out for 8. 

Once he caught his breath, he slid out of bed. Slipping on his red hoodie, he exited his room. He grabbed his phone and keys before exiting his apartment and locking the door. Carefully he climbed the stairs to the roof and unlocked the access door. 

He shivered as his bare feet hit the cold concrete, shoving his hands into his hoodie pocket. He plopped himself near the edge, one arm resting on the raised wall. Jackie took another deep breath, looking down onto the city below. 

Despite it being well into the night there were still many lights on. The sky was more of a pale blue color rather than a deep black. Closing his eyes, Jackie focused on the sounds of New Septic City around him. 

He stayed like that until he heard someone appear next to him. He opened his eyes to see Marvin staring down at the city below them. He didn’t seem to notice Jackie despite his bright hoodie. 

Jackie sat up suddenly, trying is best to act as a scared citizen instead of the hero who talked to this man the night before. Marvin looked up, startled. 

“W-what are you doing here?” Jackie stammered out, really hoping he sounded convincing. 

“I’m just on patrol. No need to worry, I’m not gonna hurt you,” The magician answered, looking back to the city. 

“How can I trust you? You are as unpredictable as a chemical reaction.” Jackie slowly stood up, hoping Marvin didn’t notice his wince. 

“I made a promise to the hero, and I don’t plan on breaking it.” Marvin replied, before disappearing in a cloud of teal light. 

Jackie stared at where the masked man once stood, confused af. Shaking his head, he sighed and exited the roof. His nightmare was almost forgotten by the time he got back to his bed. The memory of the giggle was enough to cause his sleep to be restless and full of nightmares.


	4. Why is it always a warehouse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Upload today since I’ll be busy the next few days with christmas. I hope you enjoy and that you have a good Christmas if you celebrate it. If you don’t then I hope you have a good December.

The city lights illuminated the night sky, making it look as if the stars were pulled to the ground by the skyscrapers. The wind ruffled through his hair and awoke him with its cold feeling. 

Jackaboy popped S4M off his belt and turned on the robot. He smiled as the robot chirped and floated above his shoulder. “S4M, its patrol time.” 

A moment of silence before S4M beeped. “A reported break in at a warehouse near the coast occurred about 10 minutes ago. Security systems were shut off before police were called. Suspect did not seem to be armed.”

“Okay, a simple break in. I can handle that. A nice easy crime I can take care of without hurting myself again.” Jackaboy smirked before slipping his mask on. “S4M, directions please.” 

S4M quickly wrapped their tail around his shoulder, tugging gently to his right. Backing up, Jackaboy took a running start before releasing his cable and jumping off. 

He swung in between buildings until he got to the edge of the domestic area of the city. He climbed down the building, studying the area. Once he decided it was clear, he ran to the warehouse S4M pulled him too. 

He carefully climbed up the wall of the warehouse until he reached a window. Peeking through, he couldn’t see anything amiss. He slowly opened the window enough for S4M to fit through. “S4M, observation mode.” 

S4M quickly unwrapped themself from Jackaboy and zoomed through the window. Jackaboy quickly climbed to the roof and pulled out a cellphone like device from his belt. 

Turning it on, he saw a live feed of what S4M could see. There wasn’t much, the warehouse was empty aside from a few storage containers. Jackaboy watched as S4M peeked into a container, live feed slightly glitchy. He smacked the screen a few times, growing frustrated as the feed became more and more distorted until it turned into just static. 

Taking this as a bad sign, the hero climbed off the roof and slipped through the window. He climbed down the wall and slowly walked towards the container S4M was at. As he reached it, his foot hit something hard. Looking down, he saw a deactivated S4M on the ground. 

Jackaboy held back a gasp, quickly scooping up the robot and attaching them back onto the belt. A metallic noise drew his attention to behind him, making him turn around in search of the source. A chuckle came from all around him, setting of his fight or flight reflex as he recognized the laugh from his dream. “Where are you? Who are you?” 

Another giggle before the darkness around them seemed to gather in front of the hero, forming a silhouette just taller than him. Jackaboy took a step back as the darkness receded and a person took its place. 

His skin was a sickly green, contrasted by the blood dripping down his neck. His eyes were a pale blue and were staring the hero down. He smiled a smiled full of malice and sharp teeth that sent a shiver down Jackaboy’s spine. 

“Well, well, well. It’s the new hero.” His voice caused goosebumps of his skin. 

“Antisepticeye.”


	5. Glitch Bitch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Breif Descrption of Blood. Anti typical violence

“Antisepticeye” 

The villain smiled wider at that, the smile full of malice and his eyes held the fire of violence. He took a step closer to Jackaboy, scanning the hero with his baby blues. 

“If it isn’t the newbie. How’s hero work treating you?” 

Jackaboy stayed silent, trying his hardest to not react. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t scared. Antisepticeye had been terrorizing New Septic City for years and finally dispatched Bro Average in May. This was the hero’s worst nightmare. 

“Cat got your tongue?” The villain mocked, lifting his hand to touch Jackaboy’s face. 

Jackaboy stepped back, knocking his hand away. Anti’s smile faded, eyes dimming into a darker blue. He smiled again, silver flashing in his hand as a knife appeared out of nowhere. 

Jackaboy took another step back, bracing himself for a fight. Anti’s eyes darkened to a pure black before he disappeared in a cloud of pixels. Jackaboy looked around, not daring to move from his position. 

A giggle to his left was the only indication of where the only indication of where the glitch was before he struck. Jackaboy gasped as the knife sliced through his hoodie and into his skin.

Turning sharply, the hero swung a fist and smiled as he made contact. Anti growled before disappearing again. Jackaboy kept his guard up, listening for the glitch. 

There was silence, and then there wasn’t as Jackaboy screamed. The knife was pulled from his stomach, it’s owner appearing before him. Anti smiled as the hero was clutching his wound, struggling to stay standing. With a simple push, Jackaboy fell backwards unable to keep his balance. 

Anti stood above him, knife dripping with blood. He laughed, a terrible noise that sounded like static through an old radio. Jackaboy knew what was coming next and braced himself. 

The killing blow never came as Anti had disappeared again. Jackaboy tried to sit up, but the pain from both his wounds kept him down. He could feel himself loose blood, his head becoming more light and cotton filled. With a start, he remembered the letter he was sent earlier that week and dug through his belt. 

Pulling out the card, his hands shook. Taking a deep breath he ripped the card, his vision starting to blacken around the edges. With a teal light, the card dissolved into the air. Struggling to stay awake, Jackaboy focused on the ceiling above him. The last thing he saw before he passed out fully was a bright teal light next to him.


	6. Guest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2019. 
> 
> This chapter has hints of gay, there would be more but I can’t flirt and it shows in my writing. I hope you enjoy.

The feeling of pressure on his abdomen brought back to the world of the awake. Groaning as the pain came flooding back, he opened his eyes. He didn’t recognize his surroundings, the walls do dark to be his apartment and the furniture to fancy to be from his neighborhood. 

“I hope you don’t mind I brought you to my apartment.” Marvin said, drawing Jackaboy’s attention to the cat masked man. 

He was currently wrapping bandages around the hero’s stomach. Jackaboy took note that his hoodie was cut, but the rest of his costume was intact. He slowly reached up and felt for his mask, letting out a breath when he felt it’s familiar fabric. 

“You lived to far away to teleport in your condition. So I took you here. Sorry about your hoodie, I had to cut it to get to the wounds.” The masked man finished with the bandages, securing them tightly. “I also stitched you up. Would’ve taken you to Schneep, but... no ones seen or heard from him in months.” 

“Thanks. Sorry for bothering you.” Jackaboy slowly sat up. 

“Don’t be sorry. You were dying and I gave you that card for emergencies. And I’m pretty sure bleeding out in a warehouse counts as an emergency.” Marvin stood up, stretching. “Also don’t worry about getting home. I’ll take you in the morning. “

Jackaboy started to protest but Marvin held out a hand to stop him. “You are in no condition to travel. You are staying here and that’s final.”

The hero realized the magician wasn’t going to change his mind, so he stayed silent. He watched as Marvin undid the bun his hair was in, the black curls falling to his shoulders. He reached for his mask, but Jackaboy interrupted him. “Are you really going to show your face to me?” 

Marvin paused before smiling. “Of course. I don’t care if you know what I look like. I’m not bound by the construct of secret identities you hero’s are. I just wear the mask for aesthetics.” 

Jackaboy was still mostly out of it, so he didn’t fully understand what Marvin was saying but he went with it. He held back a gasp as the magician pulled off his mask, revealing many scars that cris-crossed his face. He looked over to the hero, his golden eyes piercing his blue ones. Then he winked and the slight tension in the room dissolved.

Jackaboy smiled slightly before focusing back on his cut hoodie, trying to gather the courage to ask for a replacement shirt. Marvin must have noticed where his focus was, and left the room before coming back with a red t-shirt. He held it out to the hero, who reluctantly took the article of clothing. 

He was about to shrug off his hoodie when he realized he wasn’t wearing his binder and had his sports bra on instead. He paused and cleared his throat. “Do you mind... turning around?” 

Marvin looked surprised for a moment before nodding and looking away. With some struggle, Jackaboy took off the remains of his hoodie and slipped on the t-shirt. He let Marvin know it was safe and the magician turned back around. “So, do you think you can move or do I need to carry you to the bed?” 

Jackaboy was startled by this question, frozen for a moment before trying to stand up. The pain from his stomach made him stop, “I’m fine on the couch. It’s fine.” 

“Nope it’s not. You are not sleeping on that uncomfortable mess while you are injured. You are sleeping in a bed and I’ll take the couch.” Marvin walked over and carefully picked up the hero bridal style. 

He carried him into a bed room and placed him on the large bed in the center. He half covered him in blankets before winking again and leaving the room. Jackaboy laid there, still trying to process what just happened. As he thought, exhaustion clawed at him, threatening to drag him into its depths. With a sigh he pulled the blankets higher and closed his eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.


	7. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes hello. Sorry for the sort of late upload. My weeks been busy. I also decided to change the upload schedule to Thursday as school is starting again and I will have limited time to work on this.

The hero awoke to the sounds of pits and pans banging in the distance. Groaning, he sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. It took a moment for him to remember where he was and why he was still wearing his mask. It came flooding back to him as he stretched, the stitches pulling painfully. 

Wincing, he stopped and slowly slipped out of the bed. A slight pressure around his chest made him sigh, he forgot to take his sports bra off before he fell asleep. Though, he thought, he wouldn’t have been able to take it off without help anyways. 

Shaking his head, he left the bedroom and entered the rest of the apartment. The place looked much nicer than his own the night before, and in the morning light it looked even better. The furniture was painted with bold colors, the walls were dark colors, not a single speck of dirt in sight. 

His focus shifted from his surroundings to noises coming from around a corner. Jackaboy walked around it to find Marvin standing at a stove, prodding something with a spatula. He turned when he heard the hero, smiling. “Good Morning. Pancakes and bacon sound good to you?” 

The hero nodded, waking in and sitting on a stool that was situated next to the island. He watched as Marvin flipped a pancake, confused. His expression must have shown this as Marvin looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “You okay?”

“Why are you being so... nice to me?” Jackaboy asked, surprised by the words that fell out of his mouth. 

“Simple. I have nothing to gain by being mean to the cute hero, and everything to gain by being nice.” He winked before turning back to the pan. 

Jackaboy felt the blush creeping up his cheeks, and he covered his face with his hands. When he felt his temperature go back to normal, he looked up and found a plate in front of him. He ate a few bites before his small appetite was satisfied, the pain in his stomach refused to let him eat any more. To try and not seem rude, he shoved in as much food as he dared. 

Marvin finished as well and grabbed both their plates and dropped them in the sink. “I’ll go clean up before I take you home.” 

Jackaboy nodded as Marvin left the room, eyes fixated on his face. He shook his head, trying to clear it of the thoughts that threatened to fill it. He can’t be thinking like that, especially not towards the magician. That would complicate everything. Marvin came back a few moments later changed and with his hair up in a loose bun. 

“Let’s get you home.” Marvin approached the hero and carefully picked him up bridal style. 

A bright teal light enveloped the two and filled Jackaboy’s vision. When the light cleared, he saw that they were now just outside his apartment. Marvin carefully lowered him and allowed for Jackaboy to unlock the door. 

“Thank you.” The hero said as he turned back to Marvin. 

Marvin just gave a wink before disappearing in a flash of teal light. Jackaboy felt himself blush again before entering his apartment. He took off his mask and slowly moved to the couch. Seating himself, he pulled out S4M and tried to turn them on. When there was no response, Jackie frowned and grabbed his laptop from the coffee table. Plugging in the robot to the laptop through a USB, he ran a diagnostics check, glad for the distraction.


	8. Hero Work isn’t a Paying Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: mild transphobia. If you wish to skip this section stop reading at “the bell above the doorway jingled” and start again at “the day went by slowly”

Jackie stared at the screen, unable to focus on the code in front of him. He had worked for about 3 hours trying his hardest to figure out how to fix S.4.M. But no matter how hard he searched, he could not find a single problem. 

Sighing, he gently stretched before slowly standing up. The walk to his bathroom was slow, his whole body stiff after sitting still for that long. When he was finished with his business, he glanced at himself in the mirror.

He didn’t look any different than he did two months ago, when he first started being a hero, but it sure felt like he did. The green in his hair had faded slightly, and the scar that crossed his mouth was faded to a single pale line. Same appearance, different person. 

Shaking his head, he moved to his bedroom. He slowly got dressed, choosing a button up shirt to make putting it on easier. About half an hour after Marvin dropped him off, he got a call from work saying he had to come in that day. Stitches or not, he needed that job. 

So that’s why he was now standing outside the small comic book shop that employed him. Taking in a breath, he opened the front door. A bell above the doorway jingled and the man at the front counter looked up. 

“Ah, Jacqueline. Welcome back.” He said, the smile on his face not pleasant in the slightest. 

“It’s Jackie, Billy and you know that.” Jackie replied, moving towards the back of the shop. 

“Oh yeah, forgot that you were one of those trannys.” Billy snarled. 

“Thanks for the sentiment, but next time you try to insult me use something more original than that.” Jackie walked into the back room, not bothering to turn back. 

The day went by slowly, not many people bothered to read comics these days. In the hours between customers, Jackie sat in at the front counter and read though a few comics himself. Which is what he was currently doing. 

He was so immersed in the story, a short one about Bro Average, that he didn’t hear the bell above the door ring. Someone clearing their throat caught his attention, causing him to jump slightly. 

He closed the comic and looked up, sheepishly looking up at the patron. “Welcome to Septic Comics, how may I help you?” 

The man before him just started at Jackie, his blue eyes piercing through him. His pale skin and dark hair contrasted each other, a dark turtleneck completing his monochrome look. He then smiled in a way that sent shivers down Jackie’s spine. “I’m here to speak with the owner, is he around?” 

“Sorry sir, but you just missed him. He had a family emergency and had to leave early. I can let him know you stopped by though.” Jackie answered, shoving down his creeping fear. 

“That would be great, thank you. My name is Antony. Please tell him to call me as soon as he can,” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, “here’s my number just in case.” 

Jackie nodded and took the card, tucking it into his shirt pocket. “Is there anything else?”

Antony shook his head, before turning back towards the door. He stopped for a moment, his hand on the handle, looking Jackie in the eyes. “Thank you Jackie. You’re a great help.” 

The smile he gave as he left triggered so many red flags in the teen. He had to take many deep breaths before he didn’t feel the need to run away. Once he was calm, he pulled the business card out and looked it over. 

It was black with metallic green lettering, no design. It read “Antony Oculus, City Council” with a number written below. As he read the name, Jackie sucked in his breath. If that Antony was involved, nothing good was bound to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, I was busy a week ago and am just getting over being sick this past week. I managed to squeeze this chapter out and I’m sorry again


	9. Midnight Intruder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT! I got really sick last week and words stopped working. I hope this chapter makes up for the wait.

The sounds of his desk fan turning off was the first signal that something was wrong. He opened his eyes to darkness, and a sinking feeling in his gut. 

Jackie pushed the blanket off of him and slid out of bed. He fumbled for his phone, turning on its flashlight. Sweeping it across his bedroom until he was sure no one was in there with him. Quickly he grabbed his gloves and boots from his closet before slipping his mask on. 

Slowly, he opened his bedroom door and slid into the hallway. More sweeping of the flashlight before he moved on to his living room/kitchen. Oh how he wished S.4.M. was working, they could signal him to any danger that would be in his apartment. 

Jackaboy froze when he heard screams in the apartment next to his. This really wasn’t good. He was still out of commission, he couldn’t help out. Marvin may be aware of what was happening, but he would have teleported the moment there was trouble, right? 

The screams were silenced in an instant, and Jackaboy tensed up. There was a long pause before the sounds of his doorknob turning filled the room. Frantic, the hero ducked under his coffee table just as whoever was in the hallway managed to unlock the door. 

There was footsteps and a slight green glow, both helped the hero track the intruder’s path through the apartment. They stopped right in front of the coffee table for a moment, long enough for Jackaboy to make out the bottom of a long white coat. 

The intruder moved on, walking further into the apartment. Jackaboy held his breath as he heard the distant noises of someone looking through his bedroom. Slowly, he crawled out from below the table. He moved to his kitchen the quietest he could. Eyes scanned the table, vision barely adjusted to the darkness. When he saw what he was looking for, footsteps behind him made him freeze.

The green glow was spilling onto the table and Jackaboy had to force himself to turn around, keeping his face as neutral as possible. Standing there was what he assumed to be a man in a doctor’s outfit, face hidden by a gas mask. He couldn’t see his eyes as they were drowned out by the green glow coming from inside the mask. In his left hand was S.4.M, the other held a syringe. 

The hero backed up into his table, hand scrambling for the card as the man came closer. His search became more frantic as the man closed the gap between them. Jackaboy grasped the card just as the man raised the hand with the syringe. He quickly ripped the card, before the needle could reach his neck. 

With a swift kick, he knocked the man back enough for the hero to escape. He slid past the man, and out of his apartment. Using his phone flashlight, he ran down the hall and up the stairs to the roof. He shoved open the door before slamming it closed behind him. Footsteps coming up the stairs made him back away towards the edge of the roof. 

He took a deep breath and slowly lowered himself into a crouched position. The door opened and the man stepped onto the roof’s gravel surface. He walked towards the waiting hero. The two stayed silent, staring at each other as the gap between them closed with each slow, robotic step the man took. 

Jackaboy waited, staying still as his opponent was a body’s distance away from him. Waiting. Waiting. 4 feet. 3 feet. 2 feet. Now. 

As the man reached up to grab the hero, the hero fell backwards off the roof.


	10. Midnight Intruder Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not sorry

The moment his foot left the roof, he immediately regretted this plan. He was falling fast. His apartment building wasn’t the tallest and any second he could hit the concrete. Looking around wildly, he almost missed the fire escape. With effort he flipped himself in the air and his hand closed around the metal railing. 

Jackaboy Man paused to take a breath before he pulled himself into the small platform. He looked up and couldn’t see any sign of the man in the gas mask. Letting out a sigh of relief, he turned to the wall of the building and began climbing. Man he was really glad he had the forethought to make his gloves and boots able to stick to most surfaces. 

Slowly he climbed up to the floor that housed his apartment. Once there he counted the windows until he found the one to his bedroom. As silently as he could, he eased open his window and climbed in. The window shut with a soft click behind him. 

Treading carefully, Jackaboy left his bedroom and entered the hallway. He could see a figure in his kitchen. The figure didn’t turn as Jackaboy approached, its focus on something in their hand. 

“You had to call for help today, didn’t you?” They asked.

Jackaboy froze, recognizing the voice instantly. “It was an emergency.” 

“Was it? Well, bad luck for you. “ Marvin turned to the hero, hands and eyes aglow in teal magic, which Jackie realized was more green than blue. “I’m not playing hero tonight” 

The magician raised one of his hands and flung a ball of magical fire towards the hero, who realized he needed to move two seconds too late. He had to stifle a scream as the magic hit him. Pain consumed the the area where contact was made. 

Jackaboy sucked in a breath through his teeth as he began to charge at the cat-masked man. Marvin quickly moved to the side and grabbed the hero’s hood as he moved past. The fabric caught on Jackaboy’s throat, flinging him backwards. Marvin tolled his eyes and with a wave of his hand magic was holding the hero by his hoodie. 

He struggled, tried to run, anything. But the magic held his hood in place, the rough fabric rubbing a red line on his throat. He finally stopped out of exhaustion, the adrenaline from earlier wearing off. The hero looked Marvin in the eye, glaring as much as he could through the pain. 

“For someone who wants to be a hero, you don’t put up much of a fight.” Marvin smirked, stepping back from the hero’s swinging fist. “It’s the middle of the night, so why don’t you go to sleep.” 

A pinching sensation and a sharp pain in his neck was the only indication that the other man was even there. Jackaboy froze as what felt like liquid ice filled his veins. Then it turned hot, to hot, as if he was burning from the inside out. The pain faded as blackness and numbness consumed him quickly.


	11. Distant Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mild blood mentions 
> 
> Also I’m not sorry for anything

The first thing he heard was sirens. Struggling, he opened his eyes and took in the scene around him. He was standing behind a police barricade, looking into a construction site. A stinging sensation across his lips suddenly became apparent. Gently, he put two fingers to the spot and pulled them away. Blood coated then in a thin line. The sight suddenly pulled the rest of the world into focus as he recognized this memory. 

Jackie looked back to the site, suddenly no longer able to move outside of what he remembered. A cloud of dust exploded from one of the unfinished building. Two bodies were fighting each other in the cloud. One kicked the other down, making a sickening noise as they made contact with the ground. The other landed in a roll and stood facing the grounded opponent.

Bro Average had a charge pointed at the other. They stood up and Jackie immediately recognized them as Antisepticeye. The glitch glared at Average, seemingly uninjured from the fall. A knife materialized in his hand. Average took a deep breath before firing the charge.

Time seemed to slow for Jackie as he watched Anti lift up his knife. The charge hit the blade and seemed to grow before firing back at Average. Time sped back up again as the charge hit him square in the chest, flinging him against a far wall. He fell limp onto a pile of debris. 

Anti growled, turning towards the crowd gathered at the barricade. He glared at them before disappearing into pixels. No one seemed to move for a moment before chaos erupted around Jackie. Police struggled to contain shocked onlookers, forgetting about the injured hero. Jackie couldn’t let that happen. 

Cursing, he jumped the barricade and ran into the site. A few officers yelled after him. He couldn’t hear them. He ran for the body of Bro Average and held back a gasp as he took in the sight. His head had landed on the edge of some concrete, blood staining the stone. His chest barely moved, the only indication he was still alive. 

Jackie cursed again before kneeling down. Carefully, he slid his arms under the hero and lifted him up. He struggled slightly over the weight, but stayed standing. He slowly carried the hero back to the police. They took him the moment he reached the barricade. A few officers stayed to chastise him, but he couldn’t hear them. He was too focused on the unmoving body being strapped into a stretcher. 

Then, the world went black. 

Jackie was still conscious, though his lip didn’t hurt anymore. A growl resonated around him. An all too familiar growl.

“So you were the one who saved him.” The voice seemed to come from everywhere. “The stupid, little hero.” 

“Get out of my head.” Jackie whispered. 

“What did you just say?” 

“I said GET OUT!” Jackie screamed.

He awoke with a start, sitting up instantly. His breath came in short gasps. His neck was sore. Nothing was okay. 

He took a moment to steady his breath before standing up. He was in his kitchen. He could feel his mask was still on, letting out a sigh of relief. A quick search of his apartment discovered nothing was missing other than S.4.M. 

Sighing, he took off his gear. He slid on his binder and shrugged on a red jacket. He put shoes on and grabbed his phone. No use going to sleep after that. He exited his apartment, locking the door behind him. 

He walked down the hall, nodding at the police who were a few doors down. They stopped him for a few questions but after he insisted he heard or saw nothing, they let him go. He walked down two flights of stairs before exiting into a hallway similar to his. 

Jackie walked down to a door at the end of the hall before knocking. Nothing. He knocked again. Muffled swearing came from inside as whoever lived there finally awoke. Jackie could hear muffled groans before the door was unlocked. He stepped back as it opened. A man with messy blond hair and worn pajamas stood in the doorway. He started to say something about how late at night it was before he recognized who was at his door and stopped. Jackie gave a small smile. 

“Hi Chase.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edit: I now realize that in an earlier chapter I mention chase exiting a house and in this chapter he lives in an apartment. I’m just gonna say he was dropping the kids off at stacy’s so y’all don’t end up getting hissy at me over this

**Author's Note:**

> Came up with this au a few months ago and finally got motivated to write it


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